


The Secret Life of Misfits

by CinnamonnyBunny



Category: Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (Cartoon 2018), Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - All Media Types
Genre: Blood and Injury, Family Secrets, Fear of Death, Gen, Hurt No Comfort, If you've seen 2012 or have even passing knowledge of the franchise anyway, Long-Distance Friendship, Major Character Injury, Mystery Character(s), Mystery characters not as mysterious as you might think, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Poisoning, Secret Identity, Team as Family, Whump
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-15
Updated: 2020-04-18
Packaged: 2021-03-01 20:02:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 10,387
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23672755
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CinnamonnyBunny/pseuds/CinnamonnyBunny
Summary: When one of April's school friends returns from a year out of the country, she feels like it might be that little bit of normalcy she's been wanting in her life. But things take a turn when a mysterious vigilante appears on the scene to throw a wrench into the gears...
Comments: 3
Kudos: 30





	1. Chapter 1

It wasn’t like the brothers to watch the news. They weren’t exactly the most up-to-date of teenagers, and if anything happened that they needed to look into specifically, it was usually Donnie that updated them. But just this once, as Splinter snored away in his chair, the four boys were gathered around to watch the most recent news report out of Manhattan. Fleeting footage of a young someone wearing an unusual outfit, a Chinese opera mask covering her face. A vigilante, the newswoman said. She had been spotted all over town, and while the fact that she’d been cutting through Foot Clan activity left and right had at first frustrated them… now they were fascinated.

“Man, she is so cool!” Mikey’s eyes were lit up with excitement as the news report read off the details of the mysterious vigilante, interspersed with footage of her activity, perched on Raph’s shoulders with his arms crossed on top of his biggest brother’s head. “I wonder if April knows her. Who do you think she is?”

Leo grinned from where he’d settled himself comfortably, half lounged against his twin’s side. Donnie, for once, had not yet shoved him off. “Well, Mikey, I think she’s probably a vigilante crime fighter.”

From his perch, Mikey stuck out his tongue, as Raph snickered, folding his arms. “She is pretty cool. Look at them moves. Kinda like in that one Lou Jitsu movie, Shaolin Stir Fry. Y’know, where he had to team up with-”

“-the owner of the noodle shop in New Little Chinatown. She does have that sort of… ehhh, je nais se quois?” Donnie had glanced up now, expression showing some small hint of curiosity as the news brief focused one last time on a single still they had of the vigilante. “But she’s more naturally fluid… not as “stage perfect,” either. Wonder who trained her…”

He almost didn’t finish getting the words out of his mouth when Mikey pushed himself up, earning a grunt from Raph. “Hey do you think we could find her?! Maybe we could be bros!”

“Think she’d like us?” Reaching up, Raph carefully plucked his smallest brother from his shoulders to set him on the floor in front of him, rubbing the top of his head. “Hey, maybe she’s a mutant too! Ain’t like we ever saw her face. And that’d be a wicked team-up- just picture it! Mad Dogz and… uh… that lady! Takin’ back the streets!”  
Mikey grinned up at him at that, flopping back against his big brother’s plastron with a mischievous giggle. “That’d be so cool. Say, if she’s a mutant, what do you guys think she is? A bird? Maybe some kinda lizard?”

Glancing at his brothers briefly, Donnie sniffed and looked back to his tablet. “Mmh, I doubt she’s a mutant. We haven’t had much in the way of “mutants that don’t want to end our entire career” mutant luck. But she is going after the Foot Clan, it seems, which is highly unusual. Old grudge, maybe?”

As his brothers dissolved into conversation, the light, quick steps of someone making their way into the lair could be heard in the background. At first they didn’t notice, until April slid on up behind them, giving Raph’s bandanna an affectionate tug. “Hey there, guys! Whatcha up to? Actually watchin’ the news?”

“Mmh. That new vigilante that’s appeared on the scene has been vexing us constantly but! Her fashion sense is admirable, and she’s very skilled. She also appears to be going after the Foot Clan, so… one for the win column?”

April just grinned, plunking herself down in the small gathering of turtles. “Ooh, dang, I’ve been seein’ her too. She’s wild. I wish I could fight like that.”

“You could if you trained with us,” Mikey supplied, tone playful as he wrapped his arms around Raph’s bicep. “You’d be all cool and kickin’ butt right along with us.”

“I kick plenty of butt all on my own, small fry.” She was grinning, even as he gave an indignant little sniff. Not that it erased that brilliant smile of his. “Sorry I’m late, by the way. Friend of mine from school came back after a whole year abroad. She was visiting family in China. She gave me a call and we talked for a while.”

Raph sat up a little at that, careful not to dislodge where Mikey was hanging on to him. “Oh yeah, I remember you showin’ us pics before! Wasn’t her name like… Mary or somethin’?”

Snorting, April socked him lightly on the shoulder. “Miwa, Raph. Her name is Miwa.”

“So will we be seeing less of the famous Miss O’Neil again?” Leo inquired, stretching to put his hands behind his head. “Alas, how will we ever spend our time without our favorite person chasing us to keep us in line?”

Rolling her eyes, April leaned back on her hands. Even before Miwa had left for her year abroad, she hadn’t sacrificed all that much of her time to spend with the other girl. They were still close, of course, but they’d had much more time to hang out before she’d met the guys. Miwa had her own things to focus on as well, like her martial arts and her archery lessons - if she picked those back up now that she was back in the states - as well as helping her mom at her shop. Still, it would be nice to have the option to do more than share emails when either one of them could find the time to do it.

On top of that, she was thrilled at the opportunity to get to introduce her to Sunita… after reminding Sunita, of course, that Miwa was not used to the oddness their lives had come to entail. Sighing, her eyes drifted back to the screen, where the news anchor was showcasing viewer footage and pictures of the dark clad vigilante as she bounded effortlessly across rooftops, a sword strapped to her hip, a bow and a quiver of arrows on her back.

“You guys’ll manage. I’m sure. And I won’t be gone that much. Miwa’s super busy, and she’s gonna be working with her mom at their shop. I’ll still find time for you guys, I promise.”

The rest of the evening passed mostly without incident. April wound up half lounged against Leo with her legs propped up on Raph’s, Donnie sitting behind her to the side with his long legs slung out under her back. Mikey hadn’t moved from his spot, and had at some point dozed off with his cheek smooshed against his biggest brother’s shoulder. Unable to resist how cute he looked, April leaned over to gently rub the top of his head before extracting herself from the pile to stretch and stand.

This resulted in Donnie and Leo both stretching as well as the blue-clad twin spoke up, yawning. “Mmh… that late already, huh?”

“That it is. I’ll see you guys tomorrow night, right? You guys wanted to get out and stretch your legs for a bit.”

“Correction: they wanted to stretch their legs,” Donnie stated, though he was wearing that lazy smile that indicated teasing more than genuine frustration. “I wanted to test the new prototype VTOL function on my jetpack. The old one was sputtering a bit and I’d rather not go plummeting into an alley at an impromptu moment.”

Almost immediately, Leo chimed out “nerd” before ducking his head just in time to avoid a swat from his brother. “You see how he treats me, April? I have the worst twin in the world.”

“Says you,” came the huffy reply. “I’ve got a dummy like you as a twin.”

“All right, you two, that’s enough of that.” April planted a hand on each of their heads, rubbing playfully. “You’ll wake up Mikey, and you know he gets cranky when you dweebs get loud and wake him up.”

Raph was already standing up, careful not to jostle their youngest brother, so he could move him to the hammock in his room. “She’s not wrong. And then you’ll have to deal with me.” He was grinning despite his words. “See you tomorrow night, April?”

Releasing Leo’s head to reach over and pat his shoulder lightly, she just beamed up at him. “Wouldn’t miss it for the world, tough guy.”

* * *

The next morning at school was gloomy, with a faint chill in the air, but that didn’t deter April from her decision to take the mile or so walk to the school. She had met Sunita on her walk in, though, and explained everything she could. And at their school, on the top steps, stood a dark haired girl in a faded old faux leather jacket. She was grinning, dark eyes crinkled up at the corners, bobbed hair framing her face. Her brilliant smile deepened the dimples on her cheeks.

The girl just about launched herself down the steps when she saw them approaching, landing neatly before rushing over to grab April up in a tight hug. “April! Oh my goddd it’s been so long since I’ve seen your face! You got new glasses!”

April could only laugh, returning the hug just as tightly. Miwa had a grip like a vice, which she was fine with. Someone who worked out as hard as she did would be pretty strong. “Miwa! Look at you! You cut off all your hair! Your mom must’ve flipped. Out.”

“Oh god you have no idea. But it was getting in the way, and I hated having to braid it or put it in a bun all the time.” Releasing April after one more squeeze, the girl put her hands behind her back, smiling towards Sunita instead. “You must be Sunita. April told me about you in her emails. I’m really glad to finally meet you.”

For her part, Sunita was keeping her usual bubbly excitement as under control as she could, reaching out to take both of Miwa’s hands in hers with her ever sunny smile. “Miwa, right? April told me so much about you. I was wondering if I’d ever get to meet you and I am so so so glad I’m getting the chance to now. She said you were abroad in China?”

After Sunita released her hands, Miwa slid them back into the pockets of her jacket as the three started making their way up the steps. “Yeah. China and Japan. I’ve got family in both places, so I spent six months in both places. It was definitely a learning experience, that’s for sure.”

“Ohhh, that sounds really nice.” Even trying to rein in her usual gusto, Sunita’s enthusiasm was unparalleled. “What’s it like where your family’s from?”

Not that Miwa seemed bothered, which relieved April to no end. “Mmh… busy, in Tianjin. My dad’s family is from Japan, though. It was nice getting to meet some of the family members I’d never had the chance to talk to before.”

April knew full well that Miwa knew very little about her father outside of his name. He’d gone missing before she was born, and despite often saying it didn’t bother her, April had a feeling it stung more deeply than she wanted to admit. Knowing she’d managed to connect with his family in Japan, though… that was definitely an amazing start. “Oh sweet! What’re they like? Cool relatives, I hope.”

“They’re pretty cool. They live on a big estate in a very rural area, so they were hard to get to… but it was nice getting to see where my old man came from before he moved to the states. I think they’re all just getting used to me, but it’s cool. Still, all that family visiting aside? I’m really glad to be home.”

In the school itself, Miwa had very few people to greet. It had always been something of a shock to April… the other girl was smart, funny, pretty, and athletic. All the things popular girls were. But she had been friends with her since they were kids, and even when invited to sit with the “cool kids,” she opted to sit with April instead. The only reason her old softball team greeted her as excitedly as they did was to have her back on the team at all.

Must’ve been hard to win championships without someone who could throw and run like Miwa could.

But her trimmed hair aside, Miwa herself hadn’t seemed to change much. She sat with April and Sunita at lunch, showing them pictures of where her family - both in China and Japan - lived, offering snacks from her bag, falling into a normal high school routine as easily as if she’d never even left.

Even after April had met the turtles all those years ago, Miwa had been one of the few people she never let go of. Something about the girl was magnetic. She was driven, excited, focused. She’d even gotten April to play softball once (even if it had turned out disastrous), and a part time job at her mother’s tea shop had been the longest job she’d kept, only leaving it due to outside obligations instead of being fired. Ms. Tang was a remarkably patient woman.

And it was at that same tea shop the trio found themselves at after school had let out for the day. The Silver Crescent was a lovely little place, and even with Miwa away in Asia, she’d tried to make time to stop here whenever she could. At this time of day, there were few customers, and they were greeted by the smiling face of Miwa’s mother behind the counter, waving cheerfully at the three girls making their way in. “Welcome home, Miwa. April, it’s so good to see you. And you’ve brought a new guest!”

“Hey, Mama,” Miwa greeted, beaming as her mother was slipping out from behind the counter. “Yeah, she’s a new friend. Mama, this is Sunita. Sunita, meet my mom. Tang Shen.”

The woman beamed just as brightly as her daughter, and it was fairly obvious where Miwa got it from. “It’s so good to meet you, Sunita! Welcome to the Silver Crescent. You girls find a seat and I’ll bring out some tea and snacks.”

After an excited little pleasantry, Sunita bounced on the balls of her feet, her attention turning to Miwa. “You look a lot like your mom. Your eyes are different, though.”

Nodding a bit as she led them to a table near the back, Miwa flipped her hair back and slouched into a chair. “Yeah. Mama says I’ve got my dad’s eyes.”

That had always been hard to grasp. April’s dad was often busy, but both her parents were in her life… and while she had never met Sunita’s mother, she was aware she lived with both of them in the Mystic City. Miwa had been raised by her mother, alone. Her father wasn’t just not present, either. He had disappeared before Miwa was even born.

April hadn’t realized how much she’d gotten caught up in her own thoughts until she caught both Miwa and Sunita giving her a long look. After blinking a few times, she grinned, waving her hands a bit to dispel any awkwardness. “Ah, sorry guys. I was thinking about that pop quiz in math today. What was up with that?”

Where Sunita relaxed, Miwa didn’t. Not quite. But she didn’t have much time to question her old friend- Shen was returning with a plate brimming with peanuts, sunflower seeds, and all manner of fresh fruit, as well as a steaming teapot and cups, all balanced neatly on a wooden tray. Any unease was forgotten as the tray was set down at the table with them, and any further conversation shifted instead to the snacks and tea. April could deal with her own thoughts later. It was good to have these two here with her now.

* * *

Their conversation had gone until Miwa had to head for archery practice, and Sunita had to get back to her new waitressing gig at Run-of-the-Mill Pizza. April had taken her cue, and she managed to arrive on the rooftop with the boys almost as soon as they were taking up their usual perches.

“Whoa, that never happens,” Mikey was saying, perched on top of a rooftop shed with a bright grin on his round face. “You’re usually way earlier than us.”

April grinned up at him, tossing a pebble in his direction. “Shush up, you. I was hanging out with Miwa and Sunita at the tea shop. It was nice. Normal still feels a little weird, though.”

A grin crossed Leo’s face and he stretched out his long frame, wiggling his fingers in April’s direction. “What, you want Miwa to turn out to be all super weird too? Maybe she’s some kinda yokai too.”

“I think if she was a yokai, I’d know by now.”

“You never know! Maybe she’s just way better at hiding it than Sunita was.”

Rolling her eyes, April went to sit down on the ledge overlooking the alley below, resting her hands against the cool brick. “So you guys bein’ weirdos aside, what made you pick this spot?”

Donnie was at her side in a flash, his grin equal parts smug and mischievous. “I am so glad you asked, April. I’ve been tracking patterns in Foot activity, and based on current data, this is the most likely spot for them to strike next. I’m not entirely certain what their angle is, with the Shredder duly vanquished, but clearly they’re building up to something.”

“And we may be tryin’ to cross paths with that vigilante,” Raph added, ignoring the look Donnie shot him over his shoulder. “We all wanna know who she is, and why she’s goin’ after the Foot too.”

“Vendetta?” April suggested. “Maybe they killed someone she cared about-”

She didn’t have a chance to ponder that further. Something swooped past them with a deafening shriek towards the street below, dark and fast, as a man emerged from the shop. As he was screaming and diving for cover, all of the turtles moved to act, trying to get a good look at the mysterious assailant. Donnie was the first to speak up as he flipped his goggles down. “Is that… a mutant bird? No… a yokai!”

It was massive, a tawny beast with talons on its hands and feet, long feathers extending from each arm. Someone they had never seen before, but judging by the band on its belt, they were helping the Foot. Unusual for someone from the Mystic City. They all wanted answers, but before they could move, a black clad figure darted from the alley, a black metal fan flashing out to deflect razor sharp talons. Wearing her signature Chinese opera mask, the vigilante had appeared again.

This time they wouldn’t let her get away.

“Human! Get out of my way! Traitors to the Foot Clan must perish!” The falcon was furious, feathers ruffled as they struck out again at the slim woman that had interrupted their hunt. “I will flay you to ribbons!”

“Fat chance, yaoguai!” the woman spat back, and up on her perch as the boys were preparing to swoop in, April swore the voice sounded familiar. Pulling back, the black-clad vigilante kicked out hard, heel catching the yokai in the stomach, forcing it to stumble back. “Time to put a stop to this nonsense!”

The falcon shrieked, lashing out again, only to this time be caught by a familiar sword. Its talons slid off the blunt side of the odachi, and they staggered back with a furious hiss as Leo slid to a landing near the stunned woman. “Sorry for just dropping in. Couldn’t help but notice you’d run a-fowl of a pretty nasty character, and maybe we can lend a hand!”

Stunned, the woman turned her head towards him, seeming to try to comprehend that there was a talking turtle standing next to her, and apparently not on the side of the falcon yokai she had intercepted. In almost no time at all, she seemed to have come to a decision: the yokai was bigger than the both of them combined, and maybe having an extra hand or two would be more beneficial. She could ask questions later. “Right. This time.”

Wasting no time, she rushed forward, leaving Leo to bound to one side as the falcon screeched and lashed out again. This time her arms were caught by Mikey’s kusari-fundo, and the vigilante made a startled sound as the boy laughed gleefully, bounding past even as the yokai was unwinding themselves. She didn’t have much time to consider what was going on, as Leo was already speaking up again. “So, you know, we’ve been doing this a while now, and you’re new in the neighborhood. My name’s Leo.” He deflected a lash from the foot talons with his sword, putting on what he thought was his best charming grin. “What can we call you?”

The woman was honestly a little stunned. She was so used to working alone that she was having to adjust on the fly, and she could already see two more of the turtle creatures rushing in to help. There was a fifth figure too, and her eyes widened behind her mask when she spotted the green jacket and yellow dress. “April…?”

“Whoa, your name’s April? We know an April!” This was Raph, barreling in to grab the falcon around their torso, pinning its arms to the side. “Small world!”

Blinking a few times, the woman shook her head. “No, I’m not- my name isn’t April. You can call me Karai.”

“Karai it is, then.” Donnie was speaking just loud enough to be heard against the falcon’s shriek and his own jetpack as he tried to take aim with his tranquilizer darts. “We should, however, perhaps consider saving introductions for after the angry bird demon is no longer trying to tear off our faces?”

Karai flashed a grin at that, and all at once she was jumping up to scale a fire escape, stowing her fans to instead flip out her bow and a couple of arrows. “Agreed. Let’s cage this canary!”

Leo blinked, then let out a groan, despite moving to engage as the falcon broke free of Raph’s grip. “Oh that was so good; why didn’t I think of that?!”

Up on the rooftop above, April was waiting for a good place to dive in, but closer than she had a better place to hear the conversation below. It sounded so familiar, but she just couldn’t put her finger on it…

There wasn't any time to dwell on that right now, however. The falcon yokai gave an ear splitting screech, flinging its arms - and wings by extension - wide. The gathered combatants cowered, as did the man it had originally been after, covering their ears with startled cries. “ENOUGH! Koya tires of this nonsense. I will have my prey, but first…”

Before anyone could move to stop it, the falcon lunged upwards, moving so fast even Donnie couldn’t keep up with his jetpack. In the next moment, it had swooped downward again, letting out another terrible shriek as its talons extended.

The pained shout from Leo was the first thing any of them registered. Koya had dug their claws deep into his shoulders, squeezing hard on the flesh and bone beneath them, blood dripping from the fresh wounds. With cries of dismay, every ally on the field moved to intercept, but none of them could grab him in time before the yokai was in the air again, moving higher and higher while carrying its shouting, bleeding prey.

Karai immediately took to the rooftops with Raph and Mikey to follow as best they could, and April fell in behind them. Above, Donnie was pushing his jetpack for all it was worth, and before too long, he was neck in neck with the falcon, and he made an attempt to strike at its wings with his bo. If he could just make it drop Leo…

“Don’t you know better than to strike a lady?!” the falcon hissed, and she threw her weight at Donnie, cackling as he spun out in an attempt to get out of the way. “I tire of this game… and you have other things to worry about than my quarry. You want him so badly? Catch!”

He barely had time to process what she’d said before she flung her legs forward, releasing her grip on Leo’s shoulders. He cried out when the talons ripped from his arms, but all too quickly he was plummeting, and all Donnie could do was react.

It was hard to focus out the sounds of dismayed shouting from below when Leo began to fall, but Donnie narrowed his eyes and kept his attention on the prize. Diving as fast as his jetpack could push him, he reached out, grabbing Leo around the waist before shifting his own angle, roughly pulling them both back up. He heard his brother’s strangled, pained sound, and felt his own shoulders burn with the effort… but it was better than both of them crashing into the rooftop below and killing them both.

“I’ve got you, Leo,” he heard himself murmur, unsure if his twin could hear him. “You’re okay.”

The falcon had gone, swooping past the others with a wild shriek before diving into the alley again. With no one to hinder her progress, she’d found her quarry and left, but everyone’s attention was turned elsewhere by now as Donnie slowly lowered himself and Leo to the rooftop below. April was hurrying over as Karai watched, wide eyed behind her mask. She’d lost track of her target, but concern was bubbling up in her chest. She knew April.

How was she involved in all this? No matter. She could figure that out later. She still had a bird to catch.

“I’m fine, I’m fine,” Leo was groaning, trembling faintly as Donnie flipped a first aid kit out of his battle shell to set himself to work. “Just a flesh wound, right?”

Donnie grunted his disagreement, shifting as Mikey and Raph hurried over to check on Leo as well. The blue-clad turtle was waving off the extra attention, making jokes about shoulder piercings being “in” this season, and Karai was fit to move off and give chase again when all at once, he weaved, only managing not to fall by the grace of Donnie catching him again, carefully lowering him to sit. “Leo…? Leo, what’s wrong? I need to know your symptoms.”

Slowly, Leo shook his head, grabbing at Donnie’s hand. The whole world felt like it was swimming around him, his stomach turning flips as his throat seemed to tighten. “I don’t… I don’t know… Don, I don’t… I don’t feel so good…”

April was reaching out now, pressing her hand to his cheeks, trying to keep him focused. “Donnie… Donnie, he’s getting really pale, is this… is this supposed to happen?”

“No, it’s not, I don’t- I don’t know what’s wrong.” He sounded hollow saying that, and it felt wrong hearing it. Donnie always had the answers. Seeing him sit there baffled, eyes wide, trying to treat the wounds but not knowing what may have caused the rest. “It could be…”

“Poison.” Now Karai was moving to the front, taking a small bottle out of a pouch at her hip. “Undoubtedly that yaoguai had its talons dipped in some kind of poison. Give him this. I know somewhere we can take him- someone who can help.”

Immediately, Raph moved forward, scowling down at the slight woman. “Hey now, we don’t know you from Adam. How’re we supposed to trust you with our brother?”

Sighing heavily, Karai pressed the vial into Donnie’s hand even as he protested. “Because you don’t have much of a choice. I promise I’m trying to help. We can go to the Silver Crescent-”

“What?! Oh no. No no no no and no! I know the folks that run the Silver Crescent! I’m not gettin’ them tied up in all this mess!” April was flailing a bit, gesturing wildly at Leo. “We… there’s gotta be something else- Karai-”

Karai sighed again, turning her head towards April as she reached up to remove the mask covering her features. Dark eyes. Dark hair cut in a bob that framed her face. Dimples on her cheeks that April knew full well would deepen if she smiled. She looked so much like her mother… but said she had her father’s eyes. “April… please. I know you know us. And I know you know you can trust me.”

April was dumbstruck, hands falling to her sides, eyes going round as her jaw dropped. “I- Miwa?! What in the world-”

“I’ll explain later, April, I promise, but right now, your friend is in danger.” Reaching over, she helped with the cork on the vial as Donnie was giving it to his brother, his hands shaking. “We need to get him to Mama. She can help.”

Swallowing hard against a lump of unsteady fear, April reached out to grip Miwa’s arm, tears welling up in her eyes. “Your mom’s gonna freak, Mimi.”

“She’s seen weirder. Believe me. April, I know this is weird, but please. Let me help.”

All eyes were on April now as the two girls stared each other down, but finally, April nodded, watching as Raph moved forward to scoop Leo into his arms. The third-youngest was dipping in and out of consciousness now, his scales considerably paler than they should have been. “Okay. Okay… let’s… let’s get going. I just… I hope you’re right, Miwa.”

Miwa just smiled softly, fitting her mask back over her face as she fell effortlessly back into the persona of Karai. “I promise, April. Now let’s move. We don’t have much time.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> With the team dynamics already being messed with in Rise, I thought... why not, instead of Karai being an enemy from the get-go, she starts out the gate as an ally?
> 
> Miwa's appearance (rough; I'll add a cleaner version later: [here](https://66.media.tumblr.com/755e66c7cff8589f31f19b3f971bc69c/92112491bbfd9d2b-de/s640x960/a61e9656666709fe531ffdaf4283c22616eef918.png)  
> Karai's appearance (based on): [here](https://66.media.tumblr.com/7dbe0aafffed2efcace80e65d9af3000/92112491bbfd9d2b-51/s1280x1920/f51bfe6573ace53b5fbbc5c85be7ee28fce33dfb.jpg)


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Family secrets begin to peel away as Leo's life hangs in the balance.

April was uneasy, to say the least. Seeing Miwa like this wasn’t exactly how she’d expected to reconnect with her old school friend, and she could feel an unsettled chill settling into her stomach. A lot of questions still remained, including why she was targeting the Foot Clan specifically, but right now, all of that would have to be put on the backburner.

Right now she was perched on the “plus one” rider function of Donnie’s jetpack, and he was unusually quiet. Usually the genius would be spouting off some quip, or complaining about Leo getting hurt, but this… this was different. It felt different. Occasionally his attention drifted, focusing on where Miwa was keeping pace with Raph on a separate rooftop, Leo’s eerily still form cradled against the big turtle’s plastron. It wasn’t a sight she had ever wanted to see, but here she was, living it.

She knew this was a possibility. It didn’t mean she had to like it.

At this time of night, the storefront of the Silver Crescent was dark, though light could be seen through the back door as Miwa’s mother stayed late to do clean-up. When they drew closer, the girl in question took off her mask and stowed it in a separate hip pouch, looking up at Raph as he stopped near her. She waited until Donnie, April, and Mikey had caught up, and then let out a soft breath. “Okay. I’m gonna let Mama know we need help. Just… wait here, okay? I’m not technically supposed to be doing the whole vigilante thing.”

“Something tells me that’s not supposed to be a “technically.”” April’s tone was shorter than she’d wanted, and she watched as Miwa’s cheeks went pink. “...are you sure your mom’s gonna be okay with this?”

The other girl rolled her shoulders in a faint shrug, looking towards the door. “I know she’s seen some really weird stuff in her work. She even has some peaceful yaoguai as regulars in the shop.” A soft sigh slipped out of her, and she reached over to grab April’s wrist. “I wouldn’t have brought you here if I didn’t trust her to help. Okay?”

There was a pause, and finally April sighed, nodding as she brought her own hand up to cover Miwa’s, watching as the girl’s face lit up in a faint smile. “Okay, Mimi. I know we gotta trust you, I’m just… I’m really worried about Leo, but I worry about you, too.”

Miwa gave her a wan smile, but she said nothing as she released April’s wrist and slipped inside the back door. What followed was a startled conversation, clearly in Chinese, and it was Donnie who spoke up from where he stood at Raph’s side, checking over the angry looking wounds on his twin brother’s shoulders. “They’re arguing. Karai apparently is looking into something her mother told her not to…?”

April’s brow furrowed at that, but before she could ask, the door swung open. Instead of Miwa, there stood Tang Shen, her long hair spilling over her shoulders as she looked wide-eyed around at the gathered group. Her attention briefly fell on April, and for a moment, she seemed genuinely baffled. But the moment was over as quickly as it started, and she moved forward towards Raph, her hands reaching out to cradle Leo’s head.

For a moment, it looked like Raph was going to move back and away. But he shifted his weight and stood firm, swallowing hard as Shen gently turned his brother’s head, checking his eyes, fingers moving to his pulse. Then, with a gentle, maternal stroke over the top of his head, she nodded and stood straight, heading back for the door. “Come, bring him in. It’s good you brought him here quickly- Miwa, get the chest from upstairs, and then please put on some tea for everyone. It’s going to be a very long night.”

The dark-haired girl nodded and was gone up the steps in a flash. Raph was allowed through the door first after Shen, directed to a separate room in the back. It was small, barely big enough for all of them, but it was comfortable and homey. Like some kind of quiet break-room. Already, the woman was clearing off the table, laying out blankets and pillows and instructing Raph to lay his brother down on top of them.

April could only watch, hanging back by the door with Donnie and Mikey, only moving aside when Miwa hurried past carrying a small wooden chest to hand over to her mother. It was only then that the quiet tableau appeared to be broken, and Mikey spoke up, his voice small and wavering. “Is… he’ll be okay, right?”

“I don’t know.” Shen didn’t waste her time beating around a proverbial bush. She spoke plainly, calmly, swinging her attention up towards the boy. “This poison is clearly fast-acting, but something about it feels wrong. I’m going to do what I can. I promise.”

She didn’t speak after that, quietly opening the chest Miwa had brought her and getting to work. Miwa stood awkwardly for several moments before looking back at the anxious group, and at last, she let out a sigh and moved past them, gesturing to follow. “Come on. Let’s give Mama space to work. She’ll come get us if she needs us.”

Protests rose amongst the turtles, but April reached out, grabbing Raph’s hand gently. “We don’t have any choice but to trust Ms. Tang right now, guys, okay?” She looked to Miwa, who offered a soft, relieved smile. “Come on. We can sit in the restaurant.”

Miwa nodded, moving out of the way to give them an easier path. “I’m gonna… change out of my gear. Don’t much need it anymore right now anyway.”

The move to exit the small back room was strangely quiet in its anxious disorder. Donnie was the last to linger, watching as the woman worked on his twin, hands clenching and unclenching in fists. April hung back as well, reaching out to gently take his hand and unfold his fingers, watching as he blinked, broken out of whatever inner turmoil was roiling in his mind. “Donnie…?”

“Yeah, yeah, sorry, I just… I’m coming.” He kept his eyes on Leo regardless, even as April tugged his hand to move him out of the room with her. He felt tense, his gaze swinging to the floor. “I knew I should’ve read up more on toxins...”

“You don’t have to figure it out, D. You’re not a doctor, and you tried. That’s what’s important. I’m sure Leo will be fine.”

He didn’t respond, but his hand closed around hers and he nodded, walking in silence into the restaurant area of the shop. Everyone else was settling, the blinds having been checked before Miwa darted off up the stairs to the apartments above. It was a solemn scene, one she’d never wanted to see in all of her time with these boys. Raph was seated closest to the door leading to the back, Mikey perched on his shoulders, fiddling with the ends of his oldest brother’s bandanna. And once they’d entered, Donnie slumped onto the floor beside them, not even bothering to shake off Raph’s hand when it came to rest on his shoulder.

April just pulled out her phone, watching them quietly before releasing a heavy sigh. “I’ll… call your pop. Let him know where we are so he can get here. Probably best if he knows, right…?”

When she received no response, she gave another sigh, moving away to make the call. It was brief- she’d barely had the time to say that Leo was badly hurt and give him their location when he had hung up and was, presumably, on his way. But maybe that was for the best… this was something best explained in person.

As she settled herself in one of the chairs near the boys, Miwa began to descend the stairs. She was much subdued from the activity of earlier, expression tired, a small frown curving down her lips. And it was in this moment that the boys really took her in. She was about April’s height, with a round face and dark eyes. Her black hair was cut short, hanging in a bob that framed her face, and stood in what they could only describe as a sort of casual ready pose. Everything from her loose white tee to the black cropped pants to her black and white converse spoke of your typical sporty teen, but everything about the way she held herself said otherwise.

Right now, she was moving over towards the kitchen, and the difference in how the two girls moved was apparent. April was fierce, determined, and in your face. Miwa moved with careful steps, light and quiet, and she stayed that way until she had put some tea on and moved back out with the rest of them.

“So… hi.” She sank into the seat next to April, folding her hands tightly in her lap. She looked as anxious as the rest of them. “This is… awkward. I’m so… so sorry this happened. I wasn’t exactly expecting help out there from a bunch of yaoguai. I mean, I’ve met nice yaoguai and all, but…”

Raph blinked at her as Mikey slipped around to tuck himself under the biggest turtle’s arm instead. “We’re not… yaoguai, whatever that is. We’re mutants. Turtles.”

“Oh.” For a moment, she fidgeted, plucking at the fabric of her pants before she lifted her eyes to look at April. She almost looked about to speak, but at the last minute she looked at the boys again, meeting their expectant gazes with one almost as lost as they all felt. “I’m… I’m sure Mama can help. She’s handled a lot of poisons, even those from the hidden city.”

“About that.” Donnie’s voice was harder and colder than it even was normally, and he had looked away, down to fiddle with his bracer. “I have a lot of questions about your mom’s involvement in shady underworld poisons, and how exactly that can help my twin, but right now I need to keep myself from having a nervous breakdown on the floor of a tea shop and congratulations, you are the lucky caller. You’ve clearly got a lot of knowledge of yokai, and that’s all well and good… but what’s some random vigilante doing actually hunting down the Foot Clan?”

Miwa blinked, dark eyes wide as she stared at the genius. He’d turned his gaze back to her, cool and calculating, and the look unsettled her enough to look back down at her hands. “That’s… it’s kind of a long story. The Foot Clan… they might have the answers to something I’ve been looking into for a long time. I’m trying to find information about my father.”

The boys exchanged startled looks, and as they did, April reached out to put a hand on her friend’s knee. “Miwa… you told me that your dad disappeared before you were born. Was he involved with the Foot?”

“In a manner of speaking,” she murmured. “For now let’s just… say they had history.”

Much to her relief, the interrogation was to be cut short. Moments after the kettle in the kitchen whistled to let them know the hot water was done, the sounds of someone moving in with it could be heard. Following that, Tang Shen emerged, carrying a tray with the kettle and cups. Though she looked neat as could be, it was clear she’d changed shirts, and her hair was pulled back into a tight ponytail at the nape of her neck.

When the three young turtles looked up at her anxiously, she gave a soft sigh. Even Miwa looked troubled when she didn’t smile, instead setting the tray down on the table beside her daughter and April. “I have done what I can for your brother, for now, but I am afraid there’s little else I can do without knowing what poison the yaoguai had coating her talons.”

The words brought a pained sound from Mikey, who had scooted forward to look up at the woman as she turned to face them. “Wait… wait, that’s not right. He has to be okay. He’s not gonna… he can’t…!”

Something changed in Shen’s expression as she looked down at the boy, and after a moment she knelt, reaching out to take his shoulders in her hands. “We will do what we can to find a way to cure this. I promise, I will not let your brother go without a fight.”

Mikey sniffled hard at that, blinking back hot tears, doing his best not to come apart in front of the woman that was trying to help them. Turning his head down, he hiccuped, but before anyone could move to say something, the back door of the shop rattled open, and April went to stand. “I’ll bet that’s Splinter. He uh… he’s their dad, Ms. Tang.”

“Well.” Giving Mikey’s shoulders a reassuring squeeze, Shen pulled herself to her feet. “I will put on another pot of tea, then. It’s likely to be a very long night.”

* * *

Big Mama’s hotel was something like a hive, alive with energy and activity as yokai from across the globe made treks to this safe haven. It was a place they could stay hidden from humanity and relax, away from the stresses of the many hidden cities they called home. But tonight told a different story. The grand ballroom was still and silent as many heads and eyes turned to follow the path of two figures making their way through. They gave both a wide berth, and the taller of the pair didn’t seem to mind this in the slightest.

It was the respect someone of her age, someone of her status, deserved. She kept her eyes forward, the fine silk of her kimono trailing behind her as her impossibly long, jet black hair rippled and flowed like water. Her hands stayed folded in the sleeves of her garment, chin up, brilliant gold eyes slowly sweeping those that parted from her path like a river around a stone.

“It has been too long since I’ve passed the threshold of this establishment,” she was murmuring, glancing down at her companion. “This is your first time here, is it not, Alopex? You see how they respect us. We are foxes… and foxes carry a certain amount of dignity. We demand this reverence.”

The little white fox yokai at her side gave a faint nod, her own bright eyes taking in the spectacle. She only paused when a massive owl yokai stepped in front of both of them, scowling down at them. “...Kitsune. It’s been quite a while.”

The woman smiled, though the expression scarcely reached her eyes. “It has been. Such a pity I’ve not had the opportunity to come by sooner, but alas… circumstances were outside of my control.” Her voice lifted, rippling through the air as smooth as a dagger through honey. “I have come to see Big Mama. We have business to discuss. Surely she would not turn away an old friend.”

He said nothing at first, scowling, but after several tense moments he sniffed and lifted a walkie talkie. “Big Mama… it’s her.”

The crackle of static soon gave way to a calm, “Well then, by all means. Let her come. It’s always delightful to have an old friend come for a teensy vizzy-wisit.”

As the device clicked off, the owl gave the pair another long look. But this time, he just gave a grumble, stepping aside as the opulent elevator behind him slid open to allow them entry. Offering a saccharine smile, Kitsune moved inside with Alopex at her heels. As the doors closed, the small fox cast her gaze up at the yokai she traveled with, anxiously wringing her paws together.

“Kitsune… why do you need to deal with this spider yokai? Koya’s doing her job well enough, and I’m a good hunter. I can find the rest of your enemies myself.”

“Oh my dear, sweet Alopex. These games we ancient yokai play with mortals are very old indeed, and my alliance with Big Mama is older than you could imagine. She is a powerful ally… and a dangerous enemy. I have many tails, but the last one still eludes me. As such, we wish to keep her one but not the other.”

The rest of the elevator ride passed in silence, and it wasn’t long before the doors opened to the office of the woman in question. Seeing no need for “formal” appearances in the face of someone she had known for centuries, Big Mama was reclining against her desk in her true form, grinning wickedly at the pair as they approached. Alopex immediately ducked behind her master, hackles rising, but Kitsune remained poised, hands still folded, expression never faltering. The spider chuckled, trailing her claws along the desktop. “Kitsune. Here I thought you were in an awful tizzywizzle… sealed forever in a monk’s tablet.”

Kitsune’s face shifted, a faint smile crossing her lips. “You should know better than anyone, Big Mama, that our kind is as hard to contain as the wind. But I unfortunately have little time for pleasantries… I am here because I was made aware that you recently made a bargain for something very… very powerful. Something I have a keen interest in, as it interests the mortals who dared seal me away for a century and a day.”

“Curiouser and curiouser indeed, Kitsune.” One long leg tapped against the floor, and the multitude of eyes turned on the small white fox yokai just behind the woman, chuckling. “And yet you’ve brought a preciferous little pet. Who is your new companion? You have never seemed the sort to keep servants.”

As Alopex crouched, baring her fangs at the words of the spider, Kitsune reached back to rest a hand on top of her head. “Hardly a servant, Big Mama, but a charge. Her parents were murdered by mortals, humans who were frightened of the fox demons at the edge of their vision in the wilds of the north. I took her in. She is my apprentice. Not a creature such as myself, but… a swift hunter. She is my ears. My dearest Koya is my eyes.” Her attention swept back to Big Mama then, letting her fingers play gently with the soft white fur atop Alopex’s head. “And now… to business. You were recently called upon to banish the Shredder, were you not? The man he once was, now a demon consumed by his hatred… I wish to see such darkness returned to this world.”

Lounging to one side, Big Mama gave a low, rippling chuckle, flipping one hand to the side. “I see. You remain a being of splendiferous taste, Kitsune. You would be correct that I zippled away that nasty piece of work… but not forever. Perhaps I could see it within reason to give you the key? That is… if you could make it worth Big Mama’s while…”

Kitsune shifted slightly, and her gentle smile gave way to something else. Wicked and sly, like a fox, and her golden eyes blazed like a wildfire as she turned them back towards her ancient ally. The guise of a humble woman in an ancient silken kimono seemed to melt away, if only for a second, revealing the many-tailed beast beneath the false skin. But it faded just as quickly, and she gave a gentle chuckle, flicking her fingers from Alopex’s head to fold them back inside her sleeves. “If it is a worthwhile offer you seek… I believe I have something that you may find most… interesting.”

* * *

No one expected much but a mild amount of surprise when Splinter arrived at the back door of the Silver Crescent to see his ailing son. Maybe some gentle scolding for his sons, but nothing worse than that. A flippant greeting to the gentle owner of the shop who was working so hard to save Leo’s life. But in the moment that Shen slipped into the back to greet their new guest, a sudden chill seemed to fall across the restaurant.

Woman and rat were watching each other, and while Shen seemed unbothered, the mutant before her did not share the same sentiment. He was staring bewildered at the face above him, and after a stunned moment or two he spoke, almost forgetting why he’d come here in the first place. “...Tang… Shen?”

A sudden flash of recognition flew across Tang Shen’s face at the sound of his voice, and she blinked twice before squinting down at the tiny rat man who apparently knew her name. For a moment, she almost seemed ready to brush it off… but then all at once, her eyes went wide, hands flying up to cover her mouth. “No… it can’t be. Hamato Yoshi?!” Immediately she knelt, staring him right in the eye, as if trying to discern if she was possibly imagining this. “I can’t- you!”

“Mama?” Miwa was standing from her spot in the dining area, heading towards the kitchen door to find out what exactly was going on in there, only to have it closed directly in her face. “Buh- Mama! What’s going on?! Is he okay?!”

“In a minute, Miwa!” Her eyes had narrowed sharply, focused intensely on the mutant carefully backing away from her. Voice hushed, she leaned forward, expression sharp. “We will have a talk, Yoshi, once you have seen to your sons and all of the children are settled, away from the kitchen.”

“Yes. Yes, of course, Shen.” He glanced around briefly, and - taking note of escape routes in his path - cleared his throat. “Where is my son? Is he…?”

Sighing through her nose, Shen pushed to her feet, swallowing her frustration and anger. There were more pressing matters to pay mind to here. She said nothing, moving instead towards the small break room, Splinter directly on her heels.

The room, for now, was dimly lit. An old wooden chest with ancient remedies, ones he knew as well as she likely did, was open nearby, and a small porcelain bowl sat with cloths laid out, his bandanna folded neatly nearby. One damp cloth rested over his third youngest son’s eyes, and though his chest rose and fell with the pattern of his breathing, it was shallow and ragged. His shoulders were neatly bandaged, and he assumed this must have been where he was wounded.

As he quietly approached the boy, made as comfortable as she could manage on the table, Shen spoke, picking up the cloth to set aside before soaking a new one. “The poison is one unfamiliar to me, even in all my encounters with yaoguai. It’s something very old… possibly something lost to time, though I hope that’s not the case, for the sake of your family and your son. I’ve done what I can to slow the spread of the poison, but that won’t last forever.”

Splinter wasted no time in pulling over one of the chairs to climb up and get a closer look at his son, and then he pressed a hand to his forehead. He was cold, colder than he should’ve been, and his scales were pale and clammy. He didn’t even flinch under the gentle touch. “You are the expert, Shen. How long do we have?”

“At the least, three days. Maybe more, if I figure out something in the meantime. But that’s not a guarantee. You know this.” Turning away from the counter, she walked back over to place the fresh cloth over Leo’s eyes, watching as Splinter reached to rub his hand gently on top of the boy’s head. “How old are your sons?”

“Leonardo is fourteen, as is his twin brother Donatello. Michelangelo, thirteen… Raphael is fifteen.” His free hand came up as Shen opened her mouth. “We can talk of irresponsibility later. You know that my family is bound to a destined path. We cannot turn from the danger. My sons know the risks, as did I at their age.”

Shen’s lips pressed into a thin line as she shook her head, hands coming to rest on her hips. “You knew the risks and so you ran, prompting your family to send the oldest daughter of an allied family to find you. But I know this isn’t the place for this argument.” Gently, she reached out to pull back the bandages, checking the wounds beneath. They were angry and swollen, both from the injury itself and from the poison that had entered his body. “What remains now is the simple fact that unless we can discover the poison and formulate an antidote, your son will die. I do not wish this upon you… but perhaps your children can help. All of them.”

“I have only the three sons left able… I know they can do this-”

“They are not the only children you have left to rely on.”

Blinking, Splinter looked up at the woman, who was gazing quietly towards the door. “...you do not mean…”

Shen gave a sigh, then rubbed her hands over her face for a moment. “This isn’t the time or the place, but… you left more behind than me when you vanished that night. Miwa has been… trying to find out more. About you. About her history. That your sons have fallen into our lap now is more than just chance. I wish to help you save your children, as dearly as if they were my own. But when this is done… we have so much to talk about. And you must meet your daughter… and face this part of your past.”

Silence fell over the pair, and Splinter sighed, letting his hand linger on top of Leo’s head as he turned his head to watch his chest rise with each shallow, desperate breath. “It is something we must discuss later, Shen. But I welcome your assistance as I apologize for having burdened you so all those years ago.”

“I love my daughter, Yoshi. Don’t mistake my frustration with unhappiness.” She glanced towards the door for a moment. “Miwa is bold and impulsive and as wild as flames… most certainly yours, to the core of her. She will want to help, whether or not we reveal to her now that you really are the man she’s heard so much of in stories. But for now… we should let your sons see their brother.”

It was still a bit of a shock… but Splinter knew she had a point. His sons were likely frightened, more so than they were going to admit even to themselves. He couldn’t sugar coat this… Leo was in a terrible state. He felt regret balling up in his chest, memories of so many years wasted, paying so little attention to them, treating them like background chatter instead of the precious gifts they’d been.

Giving a heavy sigh, he hopped down from the chair, moving to follow Shen as she led the way into the main part of the restaurant. Immediately he was greeted by the relieved cries of his sons, finding himself swept into a hug with the three of them encircling him. Even Donnie seemed shaken, though he couldn’t bring himself to even seem surprised. The boy was a wildfire beneath the surface, and as much as he tried to hold it together and be the mature one, Leo was his twin. Perhaps more than anyone, he felt the awful weight of the situation they now found themselves in.

“My sons,” he finally let himself sigh once they’d released their vice grip on him, “I am so happy you three are safe. It is terrible to see what has befallen your brother… but it pains me to say that Ms. Tang has done all she can for him for now. His condition is dire, and we must not hide that from you. Come. April, you as well. You are part of this family.”

Though she hesitated, she stood with the boys when she felt Miwa’s hand fall on her back, and the girl gave her a weary but genuine smile. “They need you, April. Go on. I’ll be fine out here.”

And though she didn’t want to, and the heaviness in her chest felt so big it could have opened up and swallowed her whole, she swallowed and walked forward with them. She squeezed Mikey’s hand when he slid it into hers, letting him press up close to her side, all at once remembering that she was three years older than him and he was practically a baby, thirteen and wide eyed and soft despite a temper like a firecracker.

She looked up at Donnie, and he didn’t look at her. His jaw was set, and while his face was that constant mask of cool indifference, she could see how his shoulders shook. Raph made no such attempt to hide the emotions that were tearing through him. He had tears on his face and his bandanna was damp, the oldest son and self-appointed caretaker wracked with horror and guilt at what had happened.

Her grip on Mikey’s hand tightened.

The room was just as Splinter and Shen had left it. Leo lay quiet and still, chest still rising and falling in ragged, shallow movements, and April felt Mikey’s sob before it even escaped him. In no time at all, they’d arranged themselves, each one of them looking dumbstruck by the state of the third brother.

Donnie made a sound April had never heard from him before, but Splinter looked away. He’d heard it once, sitting with him and Mikey in an overturned tank. Emotion bubbling to the surface that he kept pinned away somewhere deep, and no one mentioned the tears that welled up in his eyes. “I should be able to fix this. I should- I’ve read so much about poisons and treatments, just out of precaution, but I can’t-”

“This isn’t on you, D.” Mikey’s voice was trembling, despite how firm he tried to sound. “It’s on that creepy bird yokai. She’s the one that did this to him…”

As he sniffled, Raph took in a deep breath and let it out, reaching down to take Leo’s hand in his own. “So now what? What can we do? Is… is there any way to help him?”

“In order to save your brother, we either need to find the poison used on him or find an antidote.” Splinter kept his tone level and serious, watching the four from where he stood. “We have very little time… only three days, at the longest. According to Ms. Tang, the poison was mystical in origin, and as such, you must travel to the hidden city. It is the only way we can help Leonardo.”

The three boys went quiet, and April curled Mikey close to her. He buried his face against her shoulder, even as Raph spoke up again. “We can… we can do that, Dad. I know we can. But… where do we even start?”

Splinter folded his hands behind him, ear flicking towards the door. He could hear Shen in the other room, quietly explaining the plan to her daughter.

His daughter.

This was too much for one night. But he sighed, settling his nerves as best he could. “You will have help. Ms. Tang’s daughter, Miwa, will be assisting you. With her help… I know you can save your brother.”

“We will. If we can’t find the antidote, if we just find the poison… I can theoretically synthesize an antidote myself.” He paused, frowning a bit. “...no. Not theoretic. I can do it. We just have to find it. It’ll be just fine... Leo will be just fine. When do we get moving? We have three days…”

“You must waste no time.” Shen was stepping in now, her daughter trailing quietly behind her. “I have taken a sample of his blood from where the talons pierced his skin. I don’t know how this will help, but… it may make it easier for you to find what you need.” She ignored the way the boys shuddered and looked away as Shen pressed the small bottle into Donnie’s hand. “I can’t do much more than wish you all luck, but… it will have to do. You will need it.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Adding comic characters for flavor since I can. For the unfamiliar:
> 
> [Kitsune](https://66.media.tumblr.com/772c121c8723f48d6ce8a7cf1ad41e5c/tumblr_ob0bk3YFHf1uw72z1o1_1280.png)   
>  [Alopex and Koya](https://66.media.tumblr.com/fd4f6f4224650eb38193d21ec64ade69/tumblr_n2ljv5n5oR1qgf3oqo1_1280.jpg)


End file.
